AHDB steps up pork promotion with new autumn advertising burst

British pork is set for a fresh nationwide advertising push this October, with TV, social media and supermarket activity aimed at encouraging more shoppers to put pork on the menu.

The levy-funded campaign, run by the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), will see the return of its ‘This is British Pork. But not as you know it’ promotion, with pork mince among the main products in focus.

The autumn push follows a February campaign which was reported to have reached more than 40 million consumers and generated 95.8 million social media impressions.

Campaign analysis found purchase intent for pork had risen by five percentage points since 2020, while purchase intent for pork mince increased by six percentage points year-on-year.

Consumer perceptions of pork as nutritious, versatile and quick to prepare were also reported to have improved.

The latest campaign will combine television advertising with influencer-led activity and recipe content designed to put British pork in front of consumers throughout the buying process.

One of the new elements will be a Healthy Savings challenge, encouraging shoppers to compare the cost of using British pork mince instead of chicken breast in everyday meals.

Feed the Family for £6 recipe videos and Switch and Save content will also promote ways of using pork in family meals while focusing on value.

The activity is being funded through pork levy investment, with the wider aim of stimulating demand for British-produced pork and supporting producers and the domestic supply chain.

It comes as shoppers have an increasingly wide range of meat and protein options to choose from, making visibility on supermarket shelves and in meal planning an important part of the sector’s promotional efforts.

The autumn campaign will form part of a wider year-round programme, with three TV adverts planned over the next 12 months.

Recipe content, social media activity and the Meet the Farmer video series will also be used to showcase British pork production and the people involved in the sector.

Carrie McDermid, Head of Marketing and Retail at AHDB, said: “The results from our February campaign show that sustained promotion can make a real difference.”

She added: “We're building on those results this October with new activity alongside our TV advert, including a Healthy Savings challenge and new recipe content.”

McDermid said the campaign was also intended to ensure levy-funded promotion continued to keep British pork in front of consumers.

“Consumers have more choice than ever when deciding what to buy and cook, and our responsibility to the levy payer is to make sure British pork remains relevant and visible.”